*Picture book, non-fiction, humorous, rhyme for preschoolers through 3rd graders
*Topic is Poop! 
*Rating: Poopendous! is a hysterical look at a bodily function everyone can relate to from the smallest bird to the largest human. It’s a clever way to show children that pooping is no big deal and can actually be quite helpful.
Short, short summary:
Artie Bennett, author of The Butt Book, has written a new book, in rhyme about poop! He starts out acknowledging that poop is gross, especially when we step in it. But then he shares that everyone poops from “aardvarks to the humped zebu” and that it is “simply part of life’s routine.” After assuring readers that it’s natural to poop, he goes on to state all the ways it is used–this is the best part of the book and surely to get some “EWWWW!” out of readers. He talks about manure, which most of us know, but what about people in other countries that actually build their houses out of it? Love it! In the end, he sums up his feelings on poop–it’s, of course, “Poopendous!” Mike Moran’s illustrations are super cute. If you have a preschooler who is reluctant to go number 2 in the potty, get this book!
So, what do I do with this book?
1. There are sure to be giggles abound when you share this book in a classroom. It goes perfect with a unit on digestion with a health curriculum or even in science with a plant unit. You can try to answer questions after reading the book and do further research, “Why does manure help plants grow better? Why does everyone poop?” This book will catch children’s attention; and from it, you can teach these objectives in health and science!
2. For younger children, you can list all different materials that houses are made out of and you could create a “house” book. Start with the materials listed in Poopendous, and this sentence for a shared writing activity: “Houses can be made out of ___________________.” You can even bring the story of the three pigs into the discussion and ask children if they think a house made of poop could be blown down. (In Bennett’s book, he shares that a Mongol yurt (shack) is often sealed with yak dung and that a Masai tribesman has cow-dung huts.)
3. For a very silly activity at home or school–what other words could you make into “poop” words like the author did with stupendous? Poop-riffic, etc.